What does accessibility mean to you?

This week I have been thinking a lot about the true impact accessibility has on those whom it affects.

I saw that a theatre local to us was given a sum of money to renovate. This theatre has not got great accessibility, it does enable access for wheelchairs to enter the building but that is pretty much as far as it goes. There is very poor viewing for those who cannot transfer to a seat. You have to sit right at the very back of the theatre and your view of the stage is obstructed by a large pillar. The bar is inaccessible to someone in a wheelchair, not in terms of being able to 'get in' but due to it being so small and cramped it would be unsafe for someone like Tom to go in there. There is no changing facility for children and adults with complex needs. The staff try their best with what they are working with but it does feel like there is a lack of training when it comes to accessibility, this is the case in most places we find.

The theatre chose to spend this sum of money on expanding and reading a new creative hub, rather than ensuring that the theatre is accessible to all. It just really stuck out to me that places that should be fully inclusive don't seem to have that as a priority at all.

Tom uses his wheelchair to access the world around him, how can he have the chance to do this when the world around him won't give him the opportunities that it gives to other children his age?

Accessibility should be used as an umbrella word for many different aspects not just ramps and lifts. I want to list some of the things that accessibly should mean to all.

- Lifts and ramps.

This is by far the most commonly known area of accessibility and of course it is incredibly important. Without places putting in these ramps and lifts people like Tom wouldn't be able to explore the world surrounding them. Even now I don't see enough places making an attempt to be 'accessible' just take a walk down your local high street and see how many places would be totally inaccessible to someone that relies on their wheelchair.

- Staff training.

This is one of the most important to me. So often I see staff struggling with how best to communicate with a child/adult with complex needs. I understand where this fear comes from but I cannot relate to it. The fault lies with the management as the staff should have a training plan in place to ensure that are well equipped and confident to be a positive communicator to someone who has complex needs, even if that person is non verbal or struggles with typical communication.

- Inclusion.

Inclusion is often a word you will hear rolling around in our community, however what does it mean in relation to accessibility? I think the best way to describe it is to give an example.

Tom often attends events at Christmas. We once went to an event in which there was a little craft activity for the children to do whilst they waited for Father Christmas. This activity was set at tables that did not provide enough room for Tom to sit at (but that's another story) and the activity was colouring in. This activity instantly excluded Tom, he was unable to participate (in fact after a long list of poor accessibility points we left the experience before even seeing Father Christmas). This upset could have easily been solved by a more inclusive activity, something like making snow globes, tactile play or a sensory story, also ensuring the tables are accessible so Tom could have sat with the other children. There are so many other options but it requires people to think outside the box a little.

I would like to add that after a few emails to this place, they made huge changes to their accessibility and it now is one of the leading places in Hampshire for people to go who use a wheelchair or have complex medical needs, it even has its very own changing places!

- Attitudes.

This is by far the biggest one. All of the above can be perfect, if the staff attitude towards disability is wrong then it isn't going to work. By attitudes I mean how someone views the importance of accessibility. To me it is vital that children and adults that already have enough battles to face in their day to day life do not have to fight to be included, not all people think like this. It can be something so simple by someone saying to you 'If you need anything I'll just be over here', sometimes that is all it takes for you to feel at ease. It is also about thinking ahead, for example expecting someone in a wheelchair to attend your venue and ensuring they have the ability to access through ramping, lifts of wide enough doors. It is incredibly important that businesses start to change their attitude towards accessibility and see it more of a priority than just ticking a box.

I hope this hasn't been too much of a negative one this week, there are lots of places that we go with Tom the are incredible and very accessible, Winchester Theatre, Artypotz in Southsea, but I do believe that there is huge room for improvement and the only way this can happen is by people talking about it.